SACRAMENTO – The California Community Colleges today applauded the Mission Asset Fund (MAF) for offering scholarship funds to cover the costs for students needing to renew their Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, status before the upcoming Oct. 5 deadline.

The San Francisco-based nonprofit, which has a long history of supporting Dreamers, dedicated scholarship funds specifically to help California community college, California State University and University of California students pay for the $495 renewal fee.

DACA students interested in applying for the scholarship opportunity should visit http://lc4daca.org to learn more and complete the online application.

Scholarship applicants will need to complete a short questionnaire and will need to provide their documentation of DACA status with expiration date on or before March 5, 2018, to qualify for the financial aid.

“We applaud the Mission Asset Fund for the dedication of these funds to our state’s DACA students. It provides the needed financial assistance to file their renewal applications ahead of the Oct. 5 deadline, which is fast approaching,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Oakley, who encouraged DACA students to renew their status. “The California Community Colleges will continue to support DACA students despite the Trump administration’s decision to rescind this vital program.”

Oakley also praised state legislative leaders and Gov. Jerry Brown for agreeing to provide a $30 million to support California’s undocumented immigrants.

The proposal provides additional funding for immigration legal services under the One California program, and the California Community College Chancellor’s Office will receive $7 million.

This funding will be made available to local colleges so that they can provide emergency financial aid resources to students affected by President Trump’s decision to rescind the DACA

Students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible so they do not miss out on the opportunity to obtain a scholarship for the $495 renewal fee.

Scholarship applications will be processed the same day they are submitted and once a student has qualified, checks made out to the Department of Homeland

Security will immediately be made available in the San Francisco area and by overnight mail in other parts of the state.

Funding for the DACA renewal scholarship opportunity for California public college students is provided through the Weingart Foundation. Other philanthropic supporters include: the Irvine Foundation, Tipping Point Community, The Chavez Family Foundation and San Francisco Foundation.

The Trump Administration’s DACA decision does not impact a student’s ability to attend California community colleges, to qualify for an exemption from nonresident tuition fees under AB 540, or to apply for financial aid under the provisions of the California Dream Act. AB 540 and the California Dream Act are state programs that are entirely separate and distinct from DACA.

To learn more about the financial aid opportunities available through the California Dream Act visit icanaffordcollege.com.

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation composed of 72 districts and 114 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. For more information about the community colleges, please visit http://californiacommunitycolleges.cccco.edu/.